Lotte Moore and Tole Okogwu will be informing primary school pupils about their lives and careers

Islington Gazette: By Lotte MooreBy Lotte Moore (Image: Archant)

Kent-based children’s book authors Lotte Moore and Tola Okogwu are gearing up to embark on a tour of more than 20 schools in Kent over the next fortnight to celebrate World Book Day.

They will visit schools from Gillingham to Maidstone, Chatham to Gravesend, Aylesford to Dartford - giving their time freely to inspire primary school children to read, write and celebrate power of storytelling.

Lotte Moore lives in West London, she is an 81-year old grandmother and has written more than 20 books including children’s picture books, novels, short stories, and an autobiography. Her latest book, Lotte’s War, reached number one in the Amazon charts over Christmas following publication on Remembrance Day 2016. It is being well received by parents and teachers of KS2 children using it as a teaching resource for WW2 lessons.

As a child, Ms Moore lived in Kent with her parents who were friends with the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, H E Bates, W H Auden and Benjamin Britten. She has spoken in many schools in London and the Home Counties over the past few years. Her latest six books have been released internationally by renowned publisher Urbane Publications and are now available to buy in all good bookshops as well as Amazon online.

Tola Okogwu lives in Greenhithe, and is the author of the Daddy Do My Hair? children’s picture book series, which under-represented demographics can identify with and introduces a much-needed conversation about diversity and fatherhood. The first book in the series, Daddy Do My Hair? Beth’s Twists, launched in 2016, with the second - Hope’s Twists - due for release in time for Father’s Day 2017.

Ms Okogwu’s business partner and publisher is her mother, Florence Olajide, who also lives in Kent. Tola Okogwu is a British blogger and founder of the hair and beauty blog, My Long Hair Journey (MLHJ). Through her blog, and wider writing, she seeks to inspire, educate and empower young girls of colour to take ownership of who they are and everything that makes them unique. Ms Okogwu is passionate about parenthood, the role of fathers and strongly believes that resources for parents should be freely and widely available.

An avid reader, Ms Okogwu enjoys spending time with her family and friends around her home where she lives with her husband and daughter.

The schedule for primary school visits is as follows:

February 28:

Lotte Moore - Frittenden Church of England Primary school, Cranbrook

Lotte Moore - Leeds & Broomfield Primary, Maidstone

Tola Okogwu - Whitehill Primary, Dartford

Tola Okogwu - Byron Primary School, Gillingham

March 1:

Lotte Moore - Bromley High School (GDST)

Tola Okogwu - Phoenix Junior Academy, Chatham

Tola Okogwu - New Horizons Children’s Academy, Chatham

March 2:

Lotte Moore - Tree Tops Academy, Maidstone

Lotte Moore - Sutton Valence Primary School, Maidstone

Tola Okogwu - Kingswood Primary School, Maidstone

Tola Okogwu - Ulcome Primary School, Maidstone

Tola Okogwu - Wrotham Road Primary School, Gravesend

March 3:

Tola Okogwu - St Michaels Rc Primary School, Chatham

Tola Okogwu - St Marys Island Ce Primary School, Chatham

March 7:

Tola Okogwu - Aylesford Primary School

Tola Okogwu - Our Lady’s Catholic, Dartford

March 8:

Tola Okogwu - Holy Trinity, Gravesend

Tola Okogwu - Napier Community Primary and Nursery Academy, Gillingham

March 13

Lotte Moore - Folkestone Primary Academy